Rocking is one of the therapeutic calming activities recommended for those with autism. This bowl-shaped chair, designed at the Victoria University of Wellington, also provides some insulation from sensory overload which autistics are prone to. The chair is designed to be flat-packed for self-assembly, and is currently at the concept stage. Find out more on the designers’ website.
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‘Adam’: A Movie About Someone With Asperger’s
‘Adam’ is an award-winning movie about a young man with Asperger’s (played by Hugh Dancey) who has to fend for himself, and his romantic relationship with a neurotypical neighbor (Rose Byrne). Rent or buy it here.
“I cried during a lot of this movie….my young son has Asperger Disorder, and this is the most accurate depiction of a person on the Autism Spectrum that I’ve ever seen. I cried tears of joy that someone finally “got it,” and will make others aware of the challenges and gifts of persons affected by Asperger’s.” [Amazon customer review]
Is Your Spouse Autistic?
Does your spouse seem absent-minded, insensitive, distant, antisocial, and just plain awkward? Does he or she have trouble relating to people, tends to rub others the wrong way, can’t seem to hold a decent conversation, is a little too forthright with personal opinions, constantly gets lost, is awfully disorganised, clumsy, often late and makes a mess? You could be married to someone with an autistic spectrum disorder (though not everything above applies to everyone with ASD). This article (courtesy of Margery D. Rosen at lhj.com) gives useful first-hand accounts by both spouses (and their counselor) in a marriage with a husband who has Asperger’s Syndrome.
Neil seems to live in his own world. I take care of everything from finances to repairs since he can’t be trusted to do anything. He can’t even keep a job. He’s always butting heads with bosses and coworkers. No surprise, really: Neil has never been able to deal with people. If we go to dinner with friends he won’t even look at them. If anyone asks him a question, he starts on an endless rant. I’m working two jobs now but he seems totally unconcerned about how drained I am.
A Little Taste of What It’s Like to be Autistic
Below is a video simulation of a first-person experience of autism, starring Carly Fleischmann. She has an oral motor condition that prevents her from speaking, but is able to think verbally (and communicate through a keyboard, which is not used in this video). Her condition is not typical of all autistics, everyone is different. Having said that, the sensory overload depicted in the video is a common feature of autism.
There are a couple more first-person simulations here and here, both well-worth watching.
Redesigning for Peak Oil
A little reminder that design isn’t just about good looks. The world is facing a future of depleted oil reserves, which (baring the discovery of a viable alternative fuel, still nowhere in sight) means the end of the petroleum-based paradigm of infinite economic growth driven by frenzied mass-consumerism. The alternative we face is the ‘3S economy’ geared towards (if we’re lucky) Survival, Subsistence and Sustainability.
The only rational response to the end of the cheap oil is to redesign all aspects of our lives [Bulent Gokay, Professor of International Relations, Keele University]
No more flying mangoes halfway round the world to satisfy the tropical fruit cravings of Norway, or assembling cars in Mexico to be sold in Singapore from parts made in China. Globalization was premised on cheap oil, the future is Local (or at most ‘Glocal’, where information crosses borders via the Internet, but anything physical stays at home). The future is also likely to use less plastic, because most plastics are petroleum-based and energy-intensive, and will cost a lot more. Designers will have to think harder about how products are made, what they’re made of, and how much (of what kind of) energy they consume. In others words, designs will have to survive the demands and rigours of the 3S Economy. More about that in this article, Past Peak Oil: Life After Cheap Fossil Fuels by Bulent Gokay. For the audio-visually inclined, here’s a video [courtesy of incubate pictures, I’d take the title with a pinch of salt]. There’s also a nice flash presentation on the topic here by the Club of Rome, in the larger context of global resource depletion.
The Asperger’s/Autism Toolbox by ‘Monkey Pliers’
The Asperger’s/Autism Toolbox is a website by someone with Asperger’s, with useful links to resources on Autism Spectrum Disorders. He uses the screen name Monkey Pliers (nope, I dunno why either). The text is a little hard to read (blue, green and purple fonts on a black background? Really?), but the site does have a certain aesthetic appeal (check it out, and you’ll see what I mean). The resources are really useful, though. The design has a lot of character, and I like the way it looks, kind of like a work of art.
Designing Autism-Friendly Schools
A brief but informative article on designing schools for autistic children. Some argue that design accommodations should not be made for autistics, because they ought to learn to adapt to ‘normal’ environments. I would suggest that most ‘normal’ environments are badly designed even for ‘normal’ users, and designs specifically for autistics would benefit non-autistics as well. Read the following tips from the article and ask yourself, ‘wouldn’t these be good for any school, with or without autistic students?’:
…a simple and easily understood route for getting from A to B
…bright light and glare should be avoided
…calm and non-stimulating colours, unfussy and non-reflective finishes
Article first published in SEN Magazine issue 46: May/June 2010. The author Christopher Beaver is a partner in GA Architects: www.autism-architects.com, which specialises in architecture for autistic users.
Great Tips on Public Speaking
Giving a talk is probably the autistic’s worst nightmare, but with careful prepping very little can go wrong. Here’s a straightforward blog post on ‘How to Rock Your Next Talk’ by Eric Karjaluoto, Creative Director at smashLAB. Just lots of practical tips, no BS. The excerpt below is typical of his down-to-earth advice:
I rehearse my completed talk a good 5 times before leaving home and I re-read my presentation on the plane. Upon arriving at my destination I go to the hotel, shut the door, and move the furniture. I walk that room back and forth like I’m on stage, and I practice until I feel that I could deliver my presentation without any slides. I even turn on the television—as a deliberate distraction—and practice my talk with the TV running in the background (good practice for when someone’s mobile phone rings during your presentation).
‘Night of Too Many Stars’ Benefits Autism
Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars this year is supporting autism programs in the United States through New York Collaborates for Autism. Donate here.
1 in 88 children are now diagnosed on the autism spectrum. There are not nearly enough schools and services available to this rapidly growing population. While many great organizations focus primarily on research, Night of Too Many Stars and NYCA raise funds to support autism schools, programs and services all over the country. Our focus is to help those living with autism right now. Since 2006, Night of Too Many Stars has raised over $14 million, giving autistic children and adults the chance they deserve to learn, to contribute and to live the fullest lives possible. Too many more still need our help – thanks for being there for them! [from the website]
Logitech Washable Keyboard
If you’re like me, you a) hate a mess and b) make a mess. Not a good combination, but this washable keyboard from Logitech allows you to, literally, have your cake and eat it.
DESIGN FOR ASD 